Differential Diagnosis for Infant Tremors
Single Most Likely Diagnosis
- Benign Neonatal Sleep Myoclonus: This condition is characterized by tremors or myoclonic jerks in infants, typically occurring during sleep. It is a common and harmless condition that resolves on its own.
Other Likely Diagnoses
- Jitteriness: A common condition in newborns, jitteriness is characterized by tremors or shaking, often in response to stimuli. It is usually benign and resolves within the first few weeks of life.
- Anxiety or Stress: Infants can exhibit tremors or shaking due to anxiety or stress, often in response to environmental changes or overstimulation.
- Hypoglycemia: Low blood sugar can cause tremors or shaking in infants, and is a common concern in newborns, especially those with risk factors such as premature birth or maternal diabetes.
Do Not Miss Diagnoses
- Hypocalcemia: Low calcium levels can cause tremors, seizures, or other neurological symptoms in infants. It is a potentially life-threatening condition that requires prompt diagnosis and treatment.
- Intracranial Hemorrhage: Bleeding in the brain can cause tremors, seizures, or other neurological symptoms in infants, and is a medical emergency that requires immediate attention.
- Infections (e.g. Meningitis, Sepsis): Serious infections can cause tremors, seizures, or other neurological symptoms in infants, and require prompt diagnosis and treatment to prevent long-term damage or death.
- Metabolic Disorders (e.g. Maple Syrup Urine Disease): Certain metabolic disorders can cause tremors, seizures, or other neurological symptoms in infants, and require prompt diagnosis and treatment to prevent long-term damage or death.
Rare Diagnoses
- Kernicterus: A rare condition caused by high levels of bilirubin in the blood, which can cause tremors, seizures, or other neurological symptoms in infants.
- Neurodegenerative Disorders (e.g. Krabbe Disease): Rare genetic disorders that affect the nervous system and can cause tremors, seizures, or other neurological symptoms in infants.
- Congenital Neurological Disorders (e.g. Congenital Hypomyelination): Rare conditions that affect the development of the nervous system and can cause tremors, seizures, or other neurological symptoms in infants.